Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-07-07
MY FALSE LOVER.

around her childish mouth.
'You do not answer. Is 1t so light
matter that you do not care? Beauty
is thing to be greatly coveted and
highly priced, Lydia"
think | sighed unconsciously. /
would have given my whole fortune
for those olive cheeks and sombre black
eyes which Lydia, our maid-of-all-work
cared so little about.
fare you in earnest, Miss Dorap Do
you mean what you sayp No one else
told me so, and have had too much
else to think of to give myself a single
thought in that way"
Poor, loveless, friendless child! She
caught at my idle compliment as hum
grily as a starveling would at some
tempting morsel.
She had craved love and sympathy
in her life as | had for beauty She,
so perfectly beautiful-an empress by
nature; while |, plain, sallow, and UNI
dersiZed-I have revealed in love and
been satiated with luxuries.
was one of those lucky ones who
were born to the good things of life,
fortunate young lady, whose capric-
iOus fancies were as strenuously car
ried out by all at home as if had been
an absolute lawgiver.
If only | had wished it, believe my
mother would have tried to bring
about transformation of myself into
a cluster of fragrant dewy roses.
Coming home from school after
graduating, had found my mother
placidly enjoying the prospect of hav-
ing me at home again. Lydia l found,
too, going quietly about the old house,
keeping things in order, and making
herself indispensable.
Thoroughly patrician, my mother
shrank from any approach to famil-
iarity with this beautiful little servant
whom, out of pity, she had taken into
her home. My poor fond mother! In
her partial eyes her precious Dora was
more lovely than all other women on
earth. She had not seen anything re-
markable in Lydia.
Women in love are gentle and ten
der. / loved with all the passion of
my strong silent nature, and so loving
lost much of the frivolty which once
characterised me, and my heart, after
its first jealous pang at sight of this
girls wonderful beauty, went out to
her in great flood of pity, and / re-
solved to make her love me.
Alas! could have foreseen that she
would prove my evil genius.
Eyes, / am in earnest, Lydia. |
think that you are the most beautiful
woman have ever seen, and you must
not wear such hideous dresses any
more. We will select some of my
fresh dresses which, with little alter
alton, will do nicely"
''Oh, you are very good, Miss Dora;
but | cannot accept This dress suits
my station best, | think, was her low
spoken answer; but the look with which
she said it left nothing more for me
to ask.
Lydia is quite right-very right,
indeed, said my mother, who had en-
tered the room. Lydia could not at
tend to her duties in Worth toilet.
| think that dark print quite the thing
for her"
Lydia's face flushed, and / guessed
how her proud heart ached at my
mothers cold rebuke.
But Dwight, my lover, was coming,
and wished him to see Lydia, and to
share my enthusiasm about her. He
had astonished everybody by his pref
erence for me-he an acknowledged
worshipper of beauty in women. How
he had fancied me, passing by all
others, | never could understand. My
heart had been wholly his from the
very first, and | told him so when he
asked me to marry him, and he kissed
me and called me foolish, fond little
girl.
In my last letter, written just be-
fore Dwight was expected for few
weeks in June, l wrote:
Il shall show you that there is one
little girl who can be unselfish and ac-
cord Just praise to other women, for l
shall show you a very beautiful woman
of whom am not bit envious."
ALI, those first gloriously blissful
days, when, looking into his deep grey
eyes, l read my lovers heart, and
knew in my inmost soul that | alone
was first! We were very happy-so
happy that | had almost forgotten
Lydia.
We were walking under the chest
nut-trees one lovely evening, when she
suddenly appeared before us. My
mother was ailing little, and wished
me to join her Immediately in her
room.
Dwight started, and slight ex-
clamation escaped him; then he looked
annoyed.
ran after Lydia, whose rosy cheek
went very pale as half dragged her
out under the scarlet creepers and
porch-vines.
Dwight, this is Lydia-Lydia Les
ter. She will look after you until |
come back"
Mothers head ached badly, and it
was late in the evening when / went
downstairs. Dwight sat alone in the
moonlight. had heard Lydia passing
my mothers door an hour before
She never came in unless we rang for
her.
laid my hand on his bowed head,
and, STOPPING, kissed the jetty locks /
loved so madly.
He was my idol. worshipped him;
and, standing there behind him, l felt
that / could die rather than live with
out him.
"And what did you think of her,
Dwight"
"Of Miss Lester? l think her re-
markedly beautiful woman. | have
never seen such eyes before. Who is
she?"
What anguish to hear him speak so
of anotherl What had myself often
admitted came like my death-warrant
from his lips.
Could be getting jealous? would
not be unjust. Lydia had nothing but
her beauty; was rich, and Dwights
promised wife.
"Who is she? Her name is Lester.
She came to live with my mother a
year ago. She had no people, be-
lieve."
poor grill This state of dependence
is dreadful for one so beautiful and re-
fined. Something should be done for
her. But you are fatigued, dearest. ]
am very selfish. Goodnight aud sweet
dreams"
With light kiss on my cheek,
Dwight left me, and, like one in
dream, l went to my room.
saw little of Dwight for days, as
my mothers illness kept me by her
side.
He said that he was not lonely or
bored, as Miss Lester played chess
with him in her spare hours.
Why linger over story, the end of
which came all too soon?